The Daily Fuckup

Donald Trump announced on September 19, 2025 that he would host Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on September 25. The meeting did take place on September 25, according to the official White House transcript, which records Trump opening the session by calling Erdogan a longtime friend and saying it was an honor to have him at the White House. ([govinfo.gov](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/DCPD-202500954/pdf/DCPD-202500954.pdf))

The tone was unusually warm for a meeting that was supposed to cover hard security and trade issues. Trump called Erdogan “highly respected,” said he had “great respect” for him, and later added, “Great guy.” Erdogan, for his part, said the visit coincided with the UN General Assembly and that the two countries had the chance to take up the F-35 program, the F-16 program and the Halkbank case. ([govinfo.gov](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/DCPD-202500954/pdf/DCPD-202500954.pdf))

Trump also used the session to press Turkey on Russian oil. He said he would like Ankara to stop buying oil from Russia while Moscow’s war against Ukraine continued, and he said sanctions on Turkey could be reduced quickly if the meeting went well. The transcript shows the discussion was not just ceremonial; it also covered the Patriot system, trade, tariffs and other military sales. ([govinfo.gov](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/DCPD-202500954/pdf/DCPD-202500954.pdf))

Erdogan’s government has long drawn criticism from human rights groups and democracy advocates over pressure on the press, prosecutions of political opponents and broader democratic backsliding. That does not make a White House meeting unusual on its own. It does make the language around the visit worth noticing: Trump chose to frame a practical policy session with personal praise, not distance. ([govinfo.gov](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/DCPD-202500954/pdf/DCPD-202500954.pdf))

So the point is not that Trump met with Erdogan. U.S. presidents meet difficult partners and strategic rivals all the time. The point is that Trump put a transactional meeting over weapons, sanctions and regional leverage inside a highly complimentary public posture toward a leader whose record has repeatedly drawn criticism. That combination was the message. ([govinfo.gov](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/DCPD-202500954/pdf/DCPD-202500954.pdf))